Health and social care: data strategy

Aligning Our Work to Scotland’s Priorities

Scotland’s National Performance Framework (NPF) sets out our vision for how we create a more successful Scotland. It focuses on how the wellbeing of people living in Scotland can be increased across a range of economic, social and environmental factors.

Our Data Strategy for Health and Social Care contributes to the vision of the NPF predominantly in the areas of ‘we are healthy and active’, and ‘we live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe’. However, this Strategy seeks to contribute across each area of the framework. For example, in taking an ethical, open, and human rights based approach to the use of health and social care data in Scotland, or in its acknowledgement that by collaborating with industry, innovators, and academia we can create economic value for Scotland in the form of high value jobs and investment, as well as social value in the form of improved public services and health outcomes.

Our Purpose

To focus on creating a more successful country with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through increased wellbeing, and sustainable and inclusive economic growth

Our Values

We are a society which treats all our people with kindness, dignity and compassion, respects the rule of law, and acts in an open and transparent way We have a globally competitive, entrepreneurial, inclusive and sustainable economy

• We value, enjoy, protect and enhance our environment
• We are healthy and active
• We are creative and our vibrant and diverse cultures are expressed and enjoyed widely
• We respect, protect and fulfil human rights and live free from discrimination
• We have thriving and innovative businesses, with quality jobs and fair work for everyone
• We are well educated, skilled and able to contribute to society
• We are open, connected and make a positive contribution internationally
• We grow up loved, safe and respected so that we realise our full potential
• We tackle poverty by sharing opportunities, wealth and power more equally
• We live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe

Nested with Scotland’s Strategy for Care in the Digital Age, this Strategy directly contributes to our vision to improve the care and wellbeing of people in Scotland by making best use of digital technologies in the design and delivery of services. It does so by working to the aims of the Strategy for Care in the Digital Age:

Aim 1: Citizens have access to, and greater control over, their own health and care data – as well as access to the digital information, tools and services they need to help maintain and improve their health and wellbeing.

Aim 2: Health and care services are built on people-centred, safe, secure and ethical digital foundations which allow staff to record, access and share relevant information across the health and care system, and feel confident in their use of digital technology, in order to improve the delivery of care.

Aim 3: Health and care planners, researchers and innovators have secure access to the data they need in order to increase the efficiency of our health and care systems, and develop new and improved ways of working.

In doing so, it also aligns with the principles of being an Open Government, the overall Digital Strategy for Scotland (A Changing Nation: How Scotland will Thrive in a Digital World) and its associated strategies such as the AI Strategy for Scotland.

Principles for a Digital Nation

• Inclusive, Ethical and User-Focused
• Digital Leadership and Culture
• Collaborative
• Data-Driven
• Technology-Enabled
• Innovative and Sustainable
• A Skilled Digital Workforce
• Secure By Design